Thriller Night!

At Reindeer Manor, Something Evil’s Lurking in the Dark
^{By Robert Stahl}

It is dark when we park the car, and the moonlight through the trees casts long, jagged shadows on the ground. If anyone asks, I will tell them that I have gooseflesh because of the crisp October air, and not because I’m genuinely creeped out by our surroundings.

Located just south of Dallas in Red Oak, Reindeer Manor attracts thousands of thrill seekers each Halloween season. The house itself has a tragic and grisly history-murder, suicide, and accidental death-and according to legend, is haunted by the souls of those who have died there. In other words, it’s the perfect location for a Halloween attraction. And Reindeer Manor doesn’t disappoint: there are chills, spills, and thrills by the coffins-full.

A hayride takes us away from the parking area, punctuating a growing sense of isolation, and deep into the woods. Soon, two fire breathing gargoyles herald our arrival. Reindeer Manor looms, dark and menacing, like it’s history. There are three attractions to choose from: a tour through the Manor itself, The 13^th Street Morgue and The Dungeon of Doom. We buy tickets for all three. As we discuss our strategy, a spooky boy on stilts saunters up silently behind us, staring. Equal parts Marilyn Manson and Edward Scissorhands, his lingering gaze and blank expression set me on edge. I try my best to ignore him, but he moves alongside us for a while, his spider-like, staccato movements sending tingles up my spine.

We decide to hit the Manor first. Unfortunately this attraction is notorious for its long and slow moving lines, and tonight is no exception. But before we grow too bored, a troupe of ‘undead’ dancers attempt to distract us with a hilarious version of “Thriller”. After a two-hour wait, we are led inside; then I realize why the line moved so slowly. It takes us 45 minutes from beginning to end to get through the Manor, and not once did we “bump into” another group.

The Manor itself is a smorgasbord of special effects, and each room has its own “story”. My personal favorite is the dining room scene, allowing us to peer in through wooden slats and observe a demented family dining on a rather unfortunate soul as he squirms in agony, still alive. Of course, the family soon realizes they have company, and all hell breaks loose as they give chase.

Oh, and be warned: the old haunted house rules about “don’t touch them and they won’t touch you” don’t apply here. This place demands audience participation. In one room, a girl from our group is yanked out and tied to a table by a group of cannibalistic, chainsaw-wielding rednecks. I don’t know if she ever made it out alive.

Still shaking, we move on to The 13^th Street Morgue. This is by far the best haunted house I’ve ever been in, and I’ve been in a lot. Nearly thirty minutes of non stop scares as you wind upstairs and downstairs through the old barn, then outside into the graveyard, and finally into the mortician’s house next door where several unspeakable murders were said to have occurred. There was a creepy narrative about the murderer sneaking into the house wearing a Santa suit so as to not frighten the kids before he went on his killing spree. And he’s in there in all his blood soaked glory. Scary stuff, indeed. I wish I could tell you more about the rest of this one but I can’t—I sprinted through the last four or five rooms!

Finally, The Dungeon of Doom takes you into the realm of motion pictures. Many familiar terrorscapes–the shower scene from Psycho, that crazy nurse from Silent Hill, and that creepy clown from It –are all here. In one sequence, Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz goes postal, and you’re not gonna believe what she does to her former friends from the Yellow Brick Road.

Reindeer Manor is a howling good time. All proceeds benefit the Boy Scouts of America, and since it does there’s no booze allowed on the premises. No kidding, the lines can get pretty scary, so go early. You’ve been warned!

Bookmark & Share

This is Haunted House at Reindeer Manor Thriller Night! page menu

Pages

at Reindeer Manor

Thriller Night!

No Responses to “Thriller Night!”

Leave a Reply